Portable movie screen device



June 22, 1965 H. J. BIESCHKE PORTABLE MOVIE SCREEN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 15, 1965 FIE.E

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e M Z a M n I a 7 0 June 1955 H- J. BIESCHKE 3,190,597

PORTABLE MOVIE SCREEN DEVICE Filed 001,. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,190,597 PURTABI'E MQVIE SEREEN DEVKIE Hillard I. Bieschltc, Schiller Paris, 111., assignor to Knox Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed 9st. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 316,215 10 (Zlaims. (Cl. 248171) This invention relates to portable movie Screen devices, and more particularly to a latching means for such devices wherein the leg unit of the stand is automatically urged to a supporting position when the telescoping rod is released from its retracted position.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved latching means for the telescoping rod of a portable movie screen stand as well as an improved leg unit therefor.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved means for securing the telescoping rod of a portable movie screen device relative to the tubular standard thereof and for latching the leg unit thereto so that the leg unit will flare to a spread supporting position on release of the rod from its retracted position in the standard.

Another object of this invention is toprovide an improved leg unit for a portable movie screen stand which is automatically urged to a supporting position upon release of the telescoping rod from its retracted position.

A further object is to provide a clamping means for a movie screen stand for firmly securing the telescoping rod in preselected positions against movement relative to the standard.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a movie screen device with the leg assembly or leg unit in closed position and the screen casing also held in closed position parallel to the standard;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a movie screen device with the leg unit in its outwardly spread supporting position, the leg unit having been urged to this position upon the release of the telescoping rod from its retracted position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2 showing the latch rivet on the leg members;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper end of the standard showing the clamping means of this invention in greater detail illustrating the positive securement of the depressed telescoping rod against inward and outward movement;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 illustrating the securement of the rod in an elevated position against movement toward a retracted position;

FIGURE 7 is a section view taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lower end of the standard, showing one leg of the leg unit in supporting position and illustrating the spring means in released position;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lower end of the standard, similar to FIGURE 8, showing the position of the legs of the leg unit in a closed position and illustrating the cooperative engagement between the latching member on the standard and the male latching element on the leg member as well as showing the initial cooperation of the opposed coil springs for positioning the latching member in a position to engage the latching element on the leg member when the telescoping rod is depressed to a retracted position;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 1ll1ti of FIGURE 8 showing in greater detail the mounting of the latching members to the standard; and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 1111 of FIGURE 8.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings consists of many well-known elements of a movie screen stand structure. The standard, generally designated 12, is adapted for support in an upright position by the tripodtype leg unit, generally designated 13. The standard has a handle member 14 which is slidably mounted on the standard and is provided with a latching member 15 for adjustably positioning the handle member 14 vertically of the standard 12.

A conventional screen casing, generally designated 16, is pivotally mounted to the forward face of the handle member 14 in the manner illustrated in the Petrick et a1. patent, No. 3,022,816, entitled Portable Movie Screen, issued February 27, 1962, so that the screen casing when released from its carrying position parallel to the standard (as shown in FIGURE 1) will automatically pivot to its operative position perpendicular to the standard, as shown in FIGURE 2. V

The standard 12 includes a main tubular member 17 and a telescoping rod 18 which is slidably received in the tubular member 17 and generally guided at its lower end by a guide washer 20 affording close tolerance with the inner walls of the tubular member 17. The telescoping rod 18 is normally held in varying positions of extended adjustment by a clamping means, generally designated 21, which forms a part of this invention and will be described later herein in detail. A bail support 22 is positioned on the upper end of the rod 13 for supporting the free end of the movie screen in a conventional manner. A depending lug 23 on the bail support 22 is of a size to fit within the well 24 in the end of the casing 16 to hold the casing 16 in its carrying position parallel to the standard, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURES 8 and 9, a coil spring 25 is preferably positioned within the lower end of the tubular member 17 and provided with a washer 26 secured to its upper end and a washer 27 secured to its lower end to afford guiding and bearing surfaces for the spring 25. The function of the coil spring 25 is to cooperate with portions of the leg unit 13 and with an extension rod 18 so that the leg unit 13 can be held adjacent the standard 12 in its closed position when desired, as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 9, and so that the leg unit 13 can be permitted, when desired, to move outwardly to a supporting position, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 8.

To this end, the leg unit 13 is provided with an upper collar 28 which slidably embraces the lower end portion of the tubular member 17 and a lower collar 30 which is fixedly secured adjacent the lower end of the tubular member 17. The upper collar 28 may be provided with three pairs of peripherally spaced ears 31, and the lower collar may likewise be provided with three pairs of spaced cars 32, peripherally spaced about the lower collar 30 in similar fashion to the ears 31 of the upper collar 28.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 8, a channel-shaped leg member 33 is swingably secured to each pair of ears 31 by a rivet 34. A channel-shaped bracing link 35 is similarly pivotally secured at one end to each pair of ears 32 on the lower collar 31 by rivet 36, as is further shown in FIGURE 11. The opposite end of each of the bracing links 35 is pivotally secured to a medial portion of its corresponding leg member 33 by rivet 37.

When the leg unit 13 is swung toward closed position adjacent the standard 12, the slidable collar 28 moves upwardly on the tubular member 17 and the leg members 33 and bracing links 35 swing inwardly about the pivot connections afforded by the rivets 34, 36 and 37. Similarly, but in reverse fashion, when the leg unit 13 is moved to spread apart supporting position, the upper collar 23 slides downwardly upon the tubular member 17 and the leg members 33 and bracing links 35 pivot outwardly.

In the present invention, first means or mechanism is operatively associated with the leg unit 13 to positively latch the leg unit in an upright position adjacent the standard, as shown in FIGURE 1, when the leg unit is brought closely adjacent to the standard by manual movement thereof. This first means further acts in cooperation with the clamping means 21 to initially urge the leg unit toward its outwardly flared supporting position upon the release of the telescoping rod 18 from its latching position shown in FIGURE 1.

Second means may also be provided for urging the leg unit 13 toward its spread supporting position and comprises a torsion spring 38 embracing the rivet 37 joining the bracing link 35 to the leg member 33. The torsion springs preferably encircle each of the three rivets 37 of the leg members 33. The free ends 38a and 38b, respectively, or the torsion spring 38 bear in opposite directions against the medial web of each of the bracing links and leg members. Thus, when the leg members 33 are folded in closed position adjacent the standard, as shown in FIGURE 9, each torsion spring 38 is wound up so each torsion spring normally urges each leg member outwardly toward supporting position. Thus after initial reiease of the leg unit toward a spread position by the first means, the second means, in the form of the atom-described torsion springs, can take over more rapidly to urge the tripod-type leg unit toward its outwardly spread supporting position.

Clamping means 21 is positioned below cap 413 at the upper end of the standard 12 and cooperates therewith to perform its clamping function. Cap 40 has a centrally disposed opening 41 therein permitting the telescoping rod 18 to project outwardly from the tubular member 17. Clamping means 21 includes a nipping lever 42 having an opening 42a through which the rod 18 passes. An opening 43 in the side of the tubular member 17 permits the arm portion 44 of the nipping lever 42 to extend to the exterior of the standard so that it can be manually actuated. Positioned below cap 40 and within the tubular member 18 is a helical spring 45 through which the rod 18 also passes. The upper end of the spring 45 abuts the lower surfaces of cap 40 and the lower end of the spring abuts the nipping lever 42 about the opening thereof. In assembled condition, the nipping lever abuts and fulcrums upon the lower end 43a of the opening 43. The spring 45 normally braces the nipping lever into a slightly out of horizontal position, thus causing the inner surfaces of the opening 42a of the nipping lever to impinge the outer surfaces of the rod 18 and prohibit movement of the rod 18 inward relative to the tubular member 17. Inward pivoting pressure on the arm portion 44- may release this impingement permitting the rod to be lowered from different elevated positions.

Further included in the clamping means 21 is a gravity weighted member 47 pivotally secured as at 48 to the interior of the tubular member 17. An opening 49 in the side of the tube permits a portion of the member 47 to protrude to the exterior of the tubular member where it is in abutting relationship with the inside of the arm portion 44 of the lever 42. The member 47 is provided with a first lug 50 which is adapted for selective engagement with any one of a number of openings, such as 51, in the telescoping rod 13. When the lug is so latched in the opening 51, the rod is locked against extension relative to the tubular member 17. The nipping lever 42 prevents inward movement of the extension rod 18 when the member 47 occupies a position between any adjacent pair of openings 51. A second lug 52 abuts the side of the tubular member 17 to prevent the member 47 from being moved in a clockwise position about its pivotal mounting. When the arm 44 is pressed to release the impingement of the lever against the rod 18 this also causes the member 47 to be pivoted counterclockwise so that the first lug 59 is retracted from the opening 51 in the rod 18. This permits the rod 18 to be moved in either direction, outwardly or inwardly, relative to the tubular member 17.

The opening in the rod 13 is so positioned relative to the length of the rod and the spring 25, that when the rod 18 is depressed to a point where the opening 51 is in alignment with the lug 50, the spring 25 is fully compressed to its maximum extent. In such a state of full compression, the spring 25 exerts a great amount of force in either direction from its ends thereof through the washers 26 and 27. Thus, when the arm 44 is pressed to release the impingement of the lever 42 against the rod 18 and to remove the lug 51) from the opening 51 in the rod 18, the rod pops up under the influence of the spring 25 as the spring extends from its fully compressed state. When the rod 18 is pushed inwardly to a point where the lug may engage the opening 51 and lock the rod against movement relative to the standard, the rod is also appropriately positioned so that the lug 23 of the bail support will engage the well 24 of the end casing and hold the casing upright adjacent to the standard as shown in FIG- URE 1.

Included in the latching means for latching the leg unit adjacent the standard are female or first latch members 57 and male latch elements or second latch members 55. The male latch members 55 consist of rivets or the like extending between the sides of the channel-shaped leg members at a point between the pivotal mounting of the bracing member at 37 and the free end of the leg members. The ears 32 of the collar 30 are divided into forks 56a and 56]) below the pivotal mounting 36 of the bracing member 35 to accommodate female latch members 57 which are pivotally mounted between the forks by rivet 58. The female latch members have a female latch portion 59, which is a notch near the free end thereof, and are adapted to be pushed upward under the influence of the compression spring 25 so that the notch 59 may receive the male latch member 55 in the outwardly extending slot 60 in each of the ears to latch the leg members against the stand as shown in FIGURE 9.

A coil spring 61 is positioned inside the tubular member 17 below the female latch member 57 and abuts a washer 62 at the top end thereof which, in turn, abuts the female latch member, and is in abutting engagement with the end cap 63 of the tubular member 17. The coil spring 61 has less force than the coil spring 25 so that when the coil spring 25 is depressed and locked by the clamping mean 21, as previously explained, the washer 27 will bear against the free end of the latch member 57 causing it to pivot upward so that the notch 59 moves up into the slot 60 of the ears. As the legs are brought toward the stand, and the collar 31 slides upward relative to the tubular member, the male latch members will contact the protruding end 5% of the notch 59 causing the female member 57 to pivot slightly downward in opposition to the compression spring 25 to permit the male latch members to ride thereover and lock in the slot and the notch.

Upon release of the clamping means 21, so that the lug 50 of the member 47 exits from the notch in the rod 18 permitting the rod to extend upwardly, the coil spring 25 expands. This permits the spring 61 to exert influence on the female member 57 causing it to pivot clockwise about its mounting 58 which, in turn, causes the female member 57 to thrust the male latch member 55 outwardly. This initial outward thrust, initiated by the female latching member is sutficient to cause the leg unit to move to open position, but the torsion springs 38 are preferably provided to cause more rapid movement of the leg members toward an outwardly flared position so that the tripod may assume the position shown in FIGURE 2.

This invention provides a novel means for latching a leg unit to an upright standard which means also tends to urge the leg unit toward an upright supporting position upon appropriate actuation thereof so that second means may continue to flare the leg unit outwardly to a spread supporting position for supporting the upright standard. The clamping means disclosed in this invention provides a novel means for holding the extension rod against relative movement either inward or outward of the standard. This clamping means cooperates with the leg unit latching means to appropriately actuate the same for latching and unlatching. It is to be understood that the telescoping rod might be provided with a plurality of openings 18 along the length thereof so that the weighted member 47 might secure the rod in different positions of extended adjustment against movement relative to the standard,

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A movie screen stand, comprising: an upright standard including a main tubular member and a telescoping rod slidable in the tubular member; clamping means operable between the tubular member and the rod for retaining the rod in a preselected position of extension with respect to the tubular member; a leg unit on the standard for supporting the standard in upright position, the leg unit having a plurality of leg members swingable between a closed position adjacent the standard and a flared supporting position; a first latch member pivoted on the lower end portion of the standard for movement between a latching and an unlatching position, the first latch member being normally urged toward unlatching position and the telescoping rod yieldably holding said first latch member in latching position; and a second latch member on the leg unit positioned to engage the first latch member in latching position when the leg unit is in closed position, upward movement of the telescoping rod simultaneously releasing the first latch member for movement to un latching position and disengaging the latch members Z. A movie screen stand as specified in claim 1, in which a plurality of second latch members are provided one on each leg member, and a plurality of first latch members are provided one to engage each second latch member when the leg unit is in closed position, the lower end of the telescoping rod pivoting the first latch members to and holding said first latch members in latching position, and upward movement of the telescoping rod releasing each of the first latch members for movement to unlatching position.

3. A movie screen stand, comprising: an upright standard including a main tubular member and a telescoping rod slidable in the tubular member; clamping means operable between the tubular member and the rod for retaining the rod in a preselected position of extension with respect to the tubular member; a leg unit on the standard for supporting the standard in upright position, the leg unit having a plurality of leg members swingable between a closed position adjacent the standard and a flared supporting position; a first latch member pivoted on the lower end portion of the standard for movement between a latching and an unlatching position, the first latch member being spring-urged toward unlatching position and the telescoping rod causing the first latch member to be held in latching position; and a second latch member on the leg unit positioned to engage the first latch member in latching position when the leg unit is in closed position, upward movement of the telescoping rod simultaneously releasing the first latch member for spring-urged, pivotal movement to release the second latch member and to force said second latch member and the leg unit to flared supporting position, and subsequent downward movement of the telescoping rod positioning the latch member in a latching position for latching engagement with said second latch member when said leg members are swung to a closed position adjacent the standard.

4. A movie screen stand as specified in claim 3, in which a plurality of second latch members are provided one on each leg member, and a plurality of first latch members are provided one to engage each second latch member when the leg unit is in closed position, each first latch member being spring-urged toward unlatching position and the telescoping rod causing each first latch member to be held in latching position, whereby upward movement of the telescoping rod releases the second latch members for spring-urged pivotal movement to throw the second latch members and the leg members outwardly and move the leg unit to supporting position.

5. A movie screen stand, comprising: an upright standard including a main tubular member and a telescoping rod slidable in the tubular member; clamping means operable between the tubular member and the rod for retaining the rod in a preselected position of extension with respect to the tubular member; a leg unit on the standard for supporting the standard in upright position, the leg unit having a plurality of leg members swingable between a closed position adjacent the standard and a flared supporting position; a first latch member medially pivoted on the lower end portion of the standard for movement between a latching and an unlatching position, said first latch member having one end portion extending into the tubular member and a second end portion carrying a female latch portion extending outwardly from the tubular member; spring means normally pivoting the first latch member toward unlatching position; spring means interposed between the lower end of the extension rod and the one end of the first latch member for yieldably turning the first latch member to latching position when the telescoping rod is depressed; stop means for positioning the outer end of the first latch member in latching position; and a second latch member on the leg unit positioned to engage the female latch portion of the first latch memher when in latching position with the leg unit in closed position, whereby upward movement of the telescoping rod releases the forces in the interposed spring so that the first latch portion is spring-urged to unlatching position to disengage the latch member.

6. A movie screen stand as specified in claim 5, in which the first and second latch members are in snug engagement in latching position, whereby pivotal movement of the first latch member when released from latching position throws the second latch member outwardly to move the leg unit to supporting position.

7. In a portable movie screen stand having an upright standard formed from an elongated tubular member and an extension rod telescoping with the tubular member, clamping means for selectively locking the extension rod in varying positions of longitudinal adjustment with respect to the tubular member, comprising: a nipping lever fulcrumed on said tubular member and extending transversely of the rod to engage and hold said rod against movement inwardly of the tubular member, said nipping lever being normally urged toward engaged position and having an outwardly extending arm for manually pivoting the nipping lever to disengaged position; and locking means positioned adjacent said nipping lever on the tubular member, the locking means being normally urged toward locking engagement with said rod to prevent outward movement of said rod with respect to the tubular member, the arm of the nipping lever being positioned to disengage the locking means when the nipping level is pivoted to its disengaged position.

8. In a portable movie screen stand having an upright standard formed from an elongated tubular member having an opening in one side thereof and an extension rod telescoping with the tubular member, clamping means for selectively locking the extension rod in different positions of longitudinal adjustment with respect to the tubular member, comprising: a nipping level fulcrumed on said tubular member and extending transversely of the rod to engage and hold said rod against movement inwardly of the tubular member, said nipping level being normally urged toward engaged position and having an outwardly extending arm for manually pivoting the nipping lever to disengaged position, and locking means positioned adjacent said nipping lever on the tubular member, said locking means comprising a gravity weighted member pivotally mounted in said tubular member and having a portion extending out of the opening thereof and normally in contact with said nipping lever and urged toward locking engagement with said rod to prevent outward movement of said rod with respect to the tubular member, the arm of the nipping lever being positioned to disengage the locking means when the nipping lever is pivoted to its disengaged position.

9. The clamping means of claim 8 wherein said telescoping rod is provided with a plurality of openings along the longitudinal extent thereof and that portion of said gravity weighted member which is positioned on the interior of the standard is provided with a first lug for engagement with the openings in the telescoping rod to secure the telescoping rod against outward movement with respect to the tubular member.

10. The clamping means of claim 8 wherein that portion of said gravity weighted member which is positioned to the exterior of the tubular member is provided with a second lug normally positioned against the side of the tubular member to lock the weighted member from pivoting upward relative to the standard and so that said first lug is held in said rod to prevent outward movement of the rod with respect to the tubular member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Exiaminer. 

1. A MOVIE SCREEN STAND, COMPRISING: AN UPRIGHT STANDAND INCLUDING A MAIN TUBULAR MEMBER AND A TELESCOPING ROD SLIDABLE IN THE TUBULAR MEMBER; CLAMPING MEANS OPERABLE BETWEEN THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND THE ROD FOR RETAINING THE ROD IN A PRESELECTED POSITION OF EXTENSION WITH RESPECT TO THE TUBULAR MEMBER; A LEG UNIT ON THE STANDARD FOR SUPPORTING THE STANDARD IN UPRIGHT POSITION, THE LEG UNIT HAVING A PLURALITY OF LEG MEMBERS SWINGABLE BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION ADJACENT THE STANDARD AND A FLARED SUPPORTING POSITION; A FIRST LATCH MEMBER PIVOTED ON THE LOWER END PORTION OF THE STANDARD FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A LATCHING AND AN UNLATCHING POSITION, THE FIRST LATCH MEMBER BEING NORMALLY URGED TOWARD UNLATCHING POSITION AND THE TELESCOPING ROD YIELDABLY HOLDING SAID FIRST LATCH MEMBER IN LATCHING POSITION; AND A SECOND LATCH MEMBER ON THE LEG UNIT POSITIONED TO ENGAGE THE FIRST LATCH MEMBER IN LATCHING POSITION WHEN THE LEG UNIT IS IN CLOSED POSITION, UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE TELESCOPING ROD SIMULTANEOUSLY 